Co-op bans food pesticides

POTATOES, apples, oranges and other fresh produce may be struck off the shopping list of a Coventry retailer today after bosses launched a ground-breaking blacklist of unwanted pesticides for fresh produce....

POTATOES, apples, oranges and other fresh produce may be struck off the shopping list of a Coventry retailer today after bosses launched a ground-breaking blacklist of unwanted pesticides for fresh produce.

The Heart of England Co-op, which is also Britain's biggest farmer, has sent its suppliers a list of more than 20 banned pesticides.

The Co-op hopes the Government will follow its lead and rethink pesticide policy.

David Croft, head of quality and consumer care, said: "The fresh produce is really the starting point. We've already started to apply it to the frozen and tinned foods.

"We believe pesticides need to be used in the most responsible way."

Farmers have also been asked to find more benign alternatives for a further 30 chemicals.

Six of the pesticides on the list are still legal for for use in the UK.

The company has asked the Government to follow its lead and apply a 'pre-cautionary principle' on pesticides, which would mean a ban on any pesticide where there is doubt about its safety, even if the weight of scientific evidence is insufficient to prove this conclusively.

Among the list are hormone disrupters and organophosphates which are in the same family as nerve gas agents.

George Flower, general manager, Food Division for the Co-operative Group, said: "It is clear that there are serious gaps in our knowledge about the long-term effects of pesticides on human health and we believe there are flaws in the approval and policing process which urgently need to be addressed.

"The Government admits there is uncertainty about a large number of chemicals currently legally used to produce food sold in this country.

"Now the Government, which has accepted the need to block some chemicals, needs to go much further.

"The UK needs an organics plan and a long term commitment from government to the farming community."